"Vedic Astrology"? What It Is and What It's Not

By Vic DiCara, 2012

India developed and carefully preserved an excellent system of astrology.
In the 70s it gained popularity in America and eventually throughout the world
as "Vedic Astrology," perhaps riding the coat-tails of a larger explosion of
interest in Indian culture and spirituality ushered in by ISKCON (the "Hare
Krishnas") and similar groups like TM ("Transcendental Meditation").

Is the term "Vedic Astrology" appropriate for what is practiced under that
name today?

Yes and no, because there are two different ways to define "Vedic."

A historian or archaeologist defines it as a specific period of time,
usually about 3 or 4 thousand years ago, in which four specific books bearing
the name "Veda" were the basis of civilization in India.

Others define "Vedic" as anything which pertains to the Veda and their
civilization, including anything that develops with its root in the Veda.

The second definition gives a lot of leeway and can therefore stretch to
admit some validity in using the term "Vedic Astrology" the way we currently
do. But I believe it would be better to stop using the term in this manner
because the astrology of modern India is just too significantly different from
the astrology described in the Veda itself, even using an inclusive definition
of the term Vedic.

Objection: "The Yajur Veda has an appendix called Vedānga Jyotiṣā, which
translates to 'Vedic Astrology.' Therefore there is no question that it is an
appropriate term."

Reply: Yes, there certainly was some form of astrology in Vedic
civilization – and the essentials of it were recorded in an ancient handbook
called Vedānga Jyotiṣā. But the astrology defined in that book simply is not
the astrology practiced in India today. That book defines how to create
calendars establishing the proper times to perform rituals. There is no hint
of natal interpretation. There is no reference to signs, houses, or any of the
other mainstays of modern "Vedic" astrology. Therefore I maintain that it is
misleading to call today's astrology "Vedic."
Just because India's astrology isn't really "Vedic" doesn't mean it's not
exceedingly excellent and impressive! Why not let it be great on its own two
feet and call it what it is, Indian Astrology? The term Vedic Astrology should
be reserved for the system of astrology literally defined in the Veda and its
direct ancillaries.

Objection: "There are many ancient Vedic scriptures defining Vedic
Astrology as we practice it today. For example, the Brihat Parashara Hora
Sastra."

Reply: There are certainly many excellent books which define the rules and
principles by which modern Vedic Astrology operates. However these were all
written in relatively recent history, and the overwhelming majority of their
content has exceedingly little in common with the astrology defined in the
Veda itself.

As India exchanged with the West, a Judeo-Christian concept of "just believe"
invaded and confused how she understands and implements her own guru-disciple
process. Many "gurus" now ask "disciples" to blindly and blanketly accept what
they teach without asking serious questions. This attitude is anti-Vedic! The
entire Vedic corpus of Upanishads is built of inquiry, scrutiny and analysis.
If we don't think carefully and ask important questions, knowledge itself
falls into disrepair.

The fact is: the books that are the basis for modern astrology in India did
not exist before about a thousand years ago. Yes, that is very old, but it
falls very short of being "ancient" or "Vedic." The Brhat Parashara Hora
Shastra in particular did not exist before the 19th century.1

But again, just because modern Indian astrology is not ancient doesn't mean it
isn't awesome. Let it be awesome in its own right – as "Indian Astrology."

If today's Indian Astrology is not Vedic, what was Vedic Astrology?

Here are the most major differences between ancient and modern "Vedic
Astrology:"

Today's Vedic Astrology is primarily personal or "natal." We interpret
birth charts for individual people. In ancient times astrologers had a much
larger role as the "clock" and "calendar" for the entire society. Ancient
Vedic astrology (as recorded in brief in Vedānga Jyotiṣā) was almost entirely
concerned with creating accurate clocks and calendars for practical,
agricultural, philosophical and religious use.2

More importantly: today's Vedic Astrology is primarily based on 9 planets
in 12 signs and houses.3 Ancient Vedic Astrology was not. It was primarily
based on roughly 27 fixed stars (nakṣatra) and the manner in which the Moon
moved through these stars and formed combinations (yoga) with the Sun and
associated phases.

Maybe ancient Vedic Astrologers did do natal astrology, but from what we
have recorded of that period it is not likely. I have not found any reference
to natal astrology in the ancient tales recorded in the Veda themselves, but I
have seen many references to it in later branches of Vedic culture as recorded
in the Purāṇa and Itihāsa.4 Ancient Vedic Astrology wasn't much about
character assessments, personal advice, or predictions about career and
fortune.

In Vedic literature, when we hear the astrological details of an
individual, it is mostly meant to act as a "timestamp" accurately identifying
their place in history, or at least on the calendar of religious and spiritual
observance. By saying, "He was born when the stars were in the following
position…" an author gives a time code that another astrologer at any point in
history can decode and translate into whatever calendar system becomes
relevant. Placing events on a historical timeline and in context of the
religious calendar was indeed a primary concern for ancient Vedic astrologers.

The theory of natal astrology is that this timestamp can also be decoded to
understand the destiny (karma) of the person born at that moment in time, so
it is not that ancient Vedic Astrology has no relevance to natal
interpretation. The point must be admitted, however, that natal interpretation
was not the primary application of ancient Vedic Astrology. However, from the
Purāṇa and similar later works we can see that natal astrology did soon become
important as Vedic culture evolved.

Nine planets in twelve signs and houses, however, is never mentioned; not
in the timestamps of ancient Vedic astrology, nor in the natal interpretations
that soon gained importance.5 The astrological points of reference used in
ancient Vedic astrology are the 27 fixed stars (nakṣatra), often addressed not
by name but by the Vedic gods who rule them.

Case In Point: Śrī Kṛṣṇa's Astrological Timestamp

Here is Śrī Kṛṣṇa's astrological timestamp as recorded in the late Purāṇa,
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (10.3.1 & 2):

"Fate became endowed with all good qualities and reached its paramount
beauty in the birth-star of the unborn. All the
stars were peaceful, as were the planets, stellar phenomena, and the
directions - which arose in spotless array."

This mentions the "birth-star of the unborn" referring to Aldebaran (or a
constellation of stars centered on Aldebaran), called Rohiṇī in Vedic
Sanskrit. The deity empowering this star is Brahmā, the motherless (therefore
"unborn") creator of the universe.

As you see, the first and foremost concern of ancient Vedic astrology is
the "birth-star" – the nakṣatra occupied by the Moon. These stars are
addressed in terms of the Vedic gods which empower them. Interpretive meaning
in ancient Vedic astrology comes from knowing the qualities and traits of the
Vedic gods who empower the fixed stars. It has nothing to do with elements,
modes, planetary rulers, etc.

There is mention of direction (diś) and the ascendant (udaya), indicating
that the astrology being used at the time had something similar to a house
system. There is also mention of planets (graha) along with "stars" (ṛkṣa)
and "stellar phenomena" (tāra), but no specific information about them is
given except that they were "peaceful." Some argue that only the Sun and Moon
are relevant in true Vedic Astrology, but this reference indicates to the
contrary.6 In my opinion the Sun and (especially) the Moon were the most
important factors in ancient Vedic Astrology, but other heavenly bodies need
not be altogether disregarded.

But by reviewing this example, you can come to understand that even in the
late Purāṇic period there was no reliance on specific planets in 12 signs and
houses.7

Another description of Kṛṣṇa's astrological timestamp is in Harivaṁśa:8

"[Kṛṣṇa was born on] the great day: the 8th phase of waning part of the month
of Śrāvana. Rohiṇī arose with the Moon at midnight."

The lunar month (māsa) was Śravaṇa (usually a mid to late summer month,
but it is a lunar month, and so is not absolutely locked in to the seasonal /
solar calendar)9

The lunar trend (pakṣa) was waning (krsna-pakṣa).

The lunar phase (tithi) was "8" – which means a half moon.

The nakṣatra occupied by the Moon was Rohiṇī.

The time: Midnight, at moonrise

Modern astrologers look at this and find nothing to interpret, but those
well versed in Vedic symbolism could indeed deliver significant
interpretations from this, especially if we examine the conditions or look to
other texts10 and discover that the combined positions of the Sun and Moon
formed a yoga called Harṣa, which indicates being "ready, willing and able to
enjoy."

In the entire Vedic library there is almost never a description of horoscopes
in terms of planets in signs and houses. Such things are found only in highly
interpolated texts or in relatively recent commentaries and works.11 The 27
fixed stars and their deities are the actual backbone of interpretive work in
ancient and pre-classical Vedic Astrology.

If modern "Vedic Astrology" doesn't primarily come from the Vedas, where
does it come from?

India has undoubtedly developed an extremely excellent system of astrology,
but she did not do it in absolute isolation from the rest of Planet Earth. By
no means is that a denigration of the glory of India! In fact, it highlights
her glory. One of the most glorious things about India and Vedic culture, in
fact, is its openness to plurality. India has a unique ability to very
carefully maintain very old traditions while simultaneously being open, plural
and inclusive. Hinduism itself attests to this. It is a harmonious plurality
of very different religions, sciences and philosophies. It has the oldest
roots of any modern culture, and in many ways is the most attractive and
vibrant spiritual and philosophical culture in the world even today.
For as long as we have historical records, India has had open borders and has
especially welcomed philosophical and scientific exchange with other cultures.
If we consider the Puranic description of how the Vedas came into their
current form we see that it involved many different people working together
over hundreds or thousands of years.12 The truly Indian and Vedic way is to
embrace knowledge from wherever it comes, and to allow it to develop, evolve
and blossom.

Thus the astrologers of ancient India mingled with the astrologers of other
ancient cultures. Modern "Vedic Astrology" is a child born from this. From the
west came an elaborate method of interpretively using the 12 divisions of the
Sun's path over the ecliptic.13 Indians took this into their pre-existing
framework which had always been sidereal, being as it was all about the 27
fixed stars, and so Indian eventually developed a sidereal conception of the
12 signs.14 Similarly they acquired various techniques and principles for using
these 12 signs interpretively with 9 planets, including the concepts of
dignity, subdivisions of signs (aṁśa), aspects between planets, and
chronological phases (daśā).

There is no intelligent doubt about this because:

We have no definition of 12 signs and houses etc for interpretive purposes
in any ancient Vedic text.

We see that the nomenclature and in some cases even the chart diagram
structure is clearly an obvious import from Persian and Greek
sources.15

Indians are an extremely smart, scientific, intuitive and artistic people.
Schools attributed to Jaimini and Parashara developed elaborate and amazingly
useful interpretive systems incorporating what they gained from their
exchanges with other astrological cultures. The astrology of modern India is
very relevant to anyone who wants to become thoroughly learned and capable as
an astrologer, because it represents what such a highly skilled people have
developed after taking the best parts of astrological culture they gathered
from the rest of the world, and linking it to their own rich astrological,
philosophical, and spiritual background.

Still, you may, like me, find it even more enlightening and beneficial to seek
the very roots of the ancient Vedic system itself. I feel that the real jewel
of Vedic astrology lies in deeply understanding the Vedic deities who empower
the 27 fixed stars of the undoubtedly ancient Vedic sky.16 Gaining that
symbolic foundation will take you on a grand adventure through the Veda,
Purāṇa and Mahābhārata. Then you could explore how phases and solar angles
combine with the Moon (and perhaps other planets) in these stars to provide a
rich and useful interpretive resource for natal and non-natal application.

What Does Indian Astrology Uniquely Offer to the International
Astrological Community?

There are many obstacles, but I think the greatest barrier to Indian
astrology being a truly monumental blessing on the world is that the
translations of its authoritative and classical works into English are
atrocious. To be successful, such works would require excellence in Sanskrit,
English, communication, and astrology; but the authors who have published
translations thus far rarely have expertise in even one of these areas. Books
written in English on Vedic astrology by modern authors are fluff in
comparison to the classics. At best they lack scholarship and depth. The very
few exceptions to this rule are almost always dry or poorly worded. However, I
am confident that if we turn more attention towards Indian astrology, the
quality of its understanding and presentation will dramatically improve.

I would like to close this article by sharing with you what I personally
feel are excellent parts of Indian Astrology worthy of deep exploration. My
list will proceed towards what I feel are the most important things Indian
Astrology has to offer humanity.

Multiple Timing Systems

The vimśottarī daśā ("120-year Phases") is a popular and useful system of
timing events. The downside of being popular is that there is lots of
misinformation about it. Still, it's potential as a timing technique is
profound. There are also more than a dozen other similar systems to explore in
Brhat Parashara Hora. That book also offers a unique way of interpreting
transits, called aṣṭaka-varga, which certainly appears to be worth a careful
exploration. India has also preserved the techniques of Persian solar returns
very carefully, and any student of Persian astrology and solar returns would
be happy to avail themselves of it.

Subdivisions of Signs

India's focus on sign-subdivisions expanded into a very impressive and well
developed school of interpretive techniques. In addition to other roles played
by the subdivisions, each one can stand as a chart within the main chart,
pertaining to a specific house and area of life.

Aspects by Degree and Planet

The Brhat Parashara Hora's method of calculating degree and planet-specific
aspects is outstanding. Each planet has a different "vision" of the sky, with
unique lines of sight that fade in and out of focus gradually from degree to
degree.

Planetary Potency Formulae

The Brhat Parashara Hora Shastra's method of ṣaḍ-bāla using more than a
dozen factors to determine how forceful a planet is in a nativity is
outstanding and of great practical merit. The effects of potent planets are
more dominant and profound than the effects of impotent planets.

Degree-Specific Dignity

Classical dignity depends largely upon the relationship between the "host and
guest" (the planets who own and occupy a sign, respectively). Indian Astrology
has an unchanging baseline of relationships between the various planets,
modified on a case-by-case basis by the current planetary positions. The
baseline interplanetary relationships are fascinating and reveal much about
the planets themselves. It is supplemented with rich Indian mythology, too.

Further, in classical India, dignity is not solely based on the primary zodiac
sign but on several sub-divisions of the sign. In the Indian System a planet
in a sign can have up to 150 different dignity-affecting placements, depending
on its degree and minute! The Brhat Parashara Hora provides an excellent
mathematical formula for calculating dignity across many subdivisions.

Complete System of Lunar-centric Sidereal Astrology

I personally feel that the relatively unknown kernel of indigenous Vedic
astrology is at least equal in worth to all the astrological schools that
developed in India, combined. Awaiting our discovery and exploration is a rich
and deep array of 27 gods in 27 fixed stars, each with an extensive mythology
imparting interpretive import.

Corollary to these stars is an eloquent system of finely measuring and
interpreting lunar phases. Indian thoughts on relationship compatibility and
electional astrology are rooted in these 27 stars and – though very poorly
presented to the world thus far – are very worthy of exploration.

Essentially the 27 Vedic stars open a doorway to a completely "new"
non-zodiacal system of astrology!

Spiritual Framework

I believe that the greatest blessing India offers to astrology is not
directly astrological. India's unparalleled metaphysical refinements present a
philosophical foundation for astrology that is extremely sublime, empowering,
real, and deep.

The Vedic understanding of karma as a marriage of freewill and fate puts a
resounding resolution on debates concerning this topic. Essentially, human
beings are "adults" of the universe and are therefore held responsible for
their free choices. Responsibility for the use of our freedoms is what
generates inescapable fate. The vast plethora of extremely well developed
spiritual and moral paths developed in India and recorded in Vedic literature
provides practical tools by which an individual can stop fighting with their
fate – embrace it as the loving correction and reward of their universal
mother and take firmer grasp of their freewill, liberating themselves from
habitual responses that perpetuate the wheel of destiny.

Closing

For whatever reason your gaze may turn to India, may the goddess Śrī Rādhā
bless your endeavor with its ultimate fruit. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

1Although written as a discourse between two people of the Vedic time period (Parāśara and Maitreya), most scholars believe that the original version came together after 600 AD and represented a compilation of select portions of previous but relatively contemporary works. In the 10th century Bhattotpala identified it as being a lost work. In the19th century a scholar gathered whatever pieces of the book could be found and rewrote it. Thus the copy we have today contain modern texts based on scraps that are most likely younger than the 10th century.

2"Philosophical" astrology defines the conceptualization of time itself, dating the universe and the unfolding of its various ages.

3Though, to be honest, even that is often challenged by "Vedic astrologers" using non-classical planets.

5There are very few exceptions that I am aware of, and it exists only in a North Indian version of Rāmāyaṇa. Therefore it is very likely to be an interpolation. Another exception is the Garga Samhita, but that books is widely considered riddled with interpolation.

6One may counter-argue that the Bhāgavata Purāṇa is the relatively recent culmination of the Vedic literary effort. However, we see astrological reference to the planets in ancient Vedic calendars, which have weeks of seven days, named for seven planets.

7In fact Bhāgavata Purāṇa explicitly defines the tropical zodiac with 12 divisions in 5.21.2. This means that the book is certainly aware of such an astrological framework and still chooses not to use it in relation to interpretive astrology.

9Months are named differently in different periods of history, and in different regions of India. The main difference is that some start the month from the full moon and others from the new moon. Thus other sources refer to the same date as the month of Bhādra.

10Like Garga Samhita (1.10.27-28), although that work is discredited for critical considerations as highly interpolated.

11For example, relatively recent book (Kha Manikya) ventures a modern description of Krishna's horoscope: "Taurus Rising with the Moon and Ketu. Sun, Venus and Jupiter in their own signs. Saturn, Mercury and Mars exalted." A few centuries ago the great spiritualist Viśvanānth Cakravartī essentially ratified this presentation by quoting it in his commentary on the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. In very modern times various persons – probably unaware of this ratified opinion – have ventured their own ideas of the houses and signs of Krishna's horoscope.

13Ancient India probably did also divide the Sun's ecliptic into 12 portions, anchored on the solstices and equinoxes. This method is described throughout the Purāṇa like Viṣṇu and Bhāgavata Purāṇa, and is defined in the astronomical authority Sūrya Siddhānta. Historians date these to a classical period, but the undoubtedly ancient Ṛg Veda also makes reference to the Sun's circular path having 12 major divisions (as well as many other ways of dividing it). But there is no evidence that ancient and pre-classical Vedic astrologers used this system for anything other than constructing agricultural calendars.

14I personally feel this is a mistake which became standardized in relatively recent history and must be abandoned. I have written elsewhere on the lack of logic in a sidereal twelvefold zodiac, and established unequivocally from Surya Siddhanta and Śrīmad Bhāgavatam that the original Indian astrologers considered the zodiac to be tropical.

15The "North Indian" style of drawing a chart (and the derivations thereof) come from Persia. The so-called "Vedic" terminology for many essential concepts pertaining to the houses is still in Greek, just spelled and written in Sanskrit letters. For example, kendra and trikona have no Sanskrit etymology, they are Greek words: kentron and trigonon. Other terms, for example pertaining to the 12 signs, are direct translations of the same concepts in the Persian and Greek systems.

16These 27 or 28 are defined explicitly in the oldest Veda, such as Ṛg.

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